Gloomhaven Cephalofair Games: Jaws of The Lion Strategy Boxed Board Game for Ages 14 and up, 2+ players

I would say if you have played through GH already you probably know way more than me about the game, bet you already have this JotL version, and can skip this review. If you haven't picked this up after playing GH, I can see this fulfilling the itch for more diversified game play while awaiting Winterhavens release.I've played Gloomhaven a little before pre-COVID. Picked up this to scratch the itch as a solo attempt and so glad I did. It comes with a lot of material. I mean a lot. Set up is way easier than the standard game due to the book format of the rooms rather than tiles. The lack of tiles doesn't take away from anything. This allows you a little more freedom to experience the game and see if you're in for the long haul.The crawl, walk, run approach I'd much appreciated. It helps establish rules (and good habits) before breaking loose. The format this is presented in easy to reference, I found. After playing the standard GH 1st adventure where it took us about 4-5 hours for 3 of us to finish the first scenario while learning the rules. this ease a much easier bite to chew. If I/we had picked up this starter version and played through, solo or with otherwise, we would be ready to hit the ground running in playing the standard GH game and forsee playing that aame 1st GH in much less time aside from the additional set it would require. Note: there is a great app you to play this a bit easier as well that tracks tokens and also allows you to play from afar with others. Maybe worth checking out if it works for you oyour group so YMMV.You get a lot out of this game the added characters ensure it stays relevant and worth the time and money investment when you move in to the standard GH.

This is a complete adventure that will keep you busy for a while.Gameplay: It's basically playing an RPG video game but somehow this one manages to immerse you into this fantasy world that you will not even noticed that 3 hours have just passed. You can also buy from Forteller games the fully narrated scenarios which adds an additional level of immersion, I really recommned it. The first scenario took me 3 hours to complete (including setup) since the rules will guide you step by step on what you need to do and there is a lot to read but they introduce a few mechanics at a time so that you get a good grip of the game first. There is a map that you can use to keep track of the game scenario that you are playing and also you can "save" your game by keeping the cards corresponding to the character in a separate bag. There are items in the box that are sealed and can't be opened until you reach certain event in the story which I consider really exciting.Components: All components are of high quality. The miniatures are extremely high detail. The scenarios are beautifully designed.Pros:+ Great Story+ Rules are extremely well done, the rule book will guide you step by step without feeling overwhelmed+ Companion app "Forteller games" which narrates the scenarios with great detail (sold separatedly but completely worth it)+ Attention to detail on every corner, on the miniatures, drawings, character and enemy designs, scenarios, etc.+ Mystery items that are sealed and can't be revealed until reaching an event in the story.Cons:- Takes around 20 mins to set up- Each playthrough will take easily from 1 - 2 hours for 2 players.- (Not fully a 1 player game) For a solo game, you manage 2 characters which adds to difficulty of managing things.- The stickers can't be removed from the map (removable stickers sold separatedly)

Grabbed this on sale for $20 and it's been well worth the price. Regular big Gloomhaven costs upwards of $100 and is apparently much more difficult. JOTL walks you through the mechanics of the game for the first several scenarios and gives you a good footing to continue your campaign.It is a fairly complex game with many details that need attention, but has been one of the better dungeon crawling games I've played. Really enjoying the card based actions rather than relying on dice. Comes with four playable characters, each with their own setup, cards, abilities, and mini figures. Mostly cardboard punchout tokens, but mini figurines are great quality, nicely detailed. Approachable, not as overwhelming as big Gloomhaven.Also, thought it was kind of a cheap cop-out at first, but have really enjoyed the scenario maps being all contained in a spiral-bound notebook, rather than tiles to assemble/clean up. Other games suffer from this, where the modular setup is neat, but time-consuming to set up when you just want to jump into a game.

I got the original Gloomhaven a few years ago, despite being an awesome game, it is hard to learn how to play hard, even the first levels. This is like a leaner version of the game, it has only a few characters but the gameplay is really the same. The first levels are designed so you can learn as you play and also they are designed so you don't fail. After a few scenarios, you get more challenges, but at that point, you already learned the basic strategies of the game. I am playing with my coworkers during lunch and we are having a blast. After we finish this I think we will continue with the original one. For ~40 UDS, I think this is an excellent board game that delivers a lot of gaming hours, a lot of scenarios, and a good selection of enemies and challenges. Just great. 5/5

Want to play the best rated board game of all time, but don't want to drop $300? Well, this is definitely for you! If you like RPGs and you like tabletop board games that are more than just dice and luck, this game is fantastic! The entire game being contained in the book makes for excellent setup and go style gameplay. It's Gloomhaven on a budget, but it's NOT a cheap parody. It's 100% legit. Great minis, great art, great scenarios, and you can even play 100% solo with the companion app. HIGHLY recommended.